Haunted Highways - 4 Scary Road Trips This Spooky Season

A spooky road trip is the perfect way to get your scares in during October, especially when served with a side of ghost stories. From eerie backroads to winding mountain highways, the U.S. is full of routes that have become legendary for horrifying reasons. While some travelers are chasing the ideal autumnal relaxation getaway, we know there are a few folks that prefer the haunted, historical, and hair-raising. We at Interstate Signways know all about how scary those dark and mysterious roads can be—so buckle up as we head down four of America's most haunted highways worth exploring across the country.

Clinton Road - New Jersey

Perhaps one of the most notorious haunted highways in America, Clinton Road in West Milford, New Jersey, has been the subject of over 300,000 searches in the past year. This quiet, wooded stretch off Route 23 has rumors that span all things creepy: ritualistic animal sacrifices, ghostly apparitions, bizarre animal sightings, UFO sightings, and of course, the infamous Jersey Devil.

Personal stories report ghost lights, a ghost boy who returns coins thrown into the river, sightings of the Jersey Devil and alien spacecraft. The ruins of Cross Castle, once located along Clinton Road, were long associated with rumors of cult rituals and other sinister events before burning down in the 1980s. Most recently, drivers have claimed to see a floating dog and a wolf with glowing red and yellow eyes.

The lore of Clinton Road goes so deep that we might even have to give it its own dedicated post later on!

Cuba Road - Illinois

Northwest of Chicago, Cuba Road in Barrington, Illinois, has inspired decades of ghost stories. The area's paranormal activity centers around White Cemetery and Rainbow Road, where travelers have spotted glowing orbs, phantom couples, a disappearing house, ghost cars, and bootlegging ghosts.

The stretch is known for two ghost cars that haunt the highway. One is a black car that some people see as a limousine that follows along and then disappears. The second is a pickup truck that speeds along with high beams, threatening to run drivers off the road before it vanishes. Some of the other apparitions are of Prohibition Era mobsters wandering the surrounding woods. Finally, there's a hitchhiking woman carrying a lantern that disappears when a car approaches. On Rainbow Road, people have claimed to see ruins of either a mansion or a farmhouse, with a slew of lore surrounding its origins.

White Cemetery not only has its own ghost stories but is considered the center of all the ghostly activity. The ghost car is rumored to disappear at the cemetery. The ghost house is only two blocks away, and the vanishing lady is often seen as people are within the cemetery's vicinity.

Highway 20 - Oregon

Winding through Oregon's rugged mountains and forests, Highway 20 might look like a scenic Pacific Northwest drive—but it hides a dark past that inspired the chilling docuseries Ghosts of Highway 20. Between the late 1970s and early 1990s, a series of disappearances and murders along this stretch of road were later connected to serial killer John Arthur Ackroyd.

Today, Highway 20 is known for more than its tragic history, as one of the most haunted roads in the U.S. Travelers have reported flickering lights through the trees, ghostly figures along the roadside, and that unmistakable sense of being watched. Its remote, winding route through the wilderness adds to the uneasy atmosphere—a haunting reminder of the real-life horrors that once shadowed this highway.

Highway 93 - Arizona

Nicknamed "Blood Alley," the Arizona stretch of Highway 93 between Wickenburg and Kingman has earned its name through decades of deadly accidents and eerie tales. The highway's narrow, winding hills and turns have caused countless crashes—and according to local lore, some of the victims never really left.

Travelers have reported sightings of a phantom bus, known as the Ghost Bus of Highway 93 or the Ghost Bus of Union Pass. Rumor tells of Bus 777 and 48 passengers that supposedly vanished decades ago while en route to Nevada casinos. In a bizarre origin story, the bus experienced mechanical issues and the driver was forced to abandon it as the passengers took over, which was followed by their demise. The driver was found wandering incoherently, but the bus and passengers were never seen again. Now drivers claim to see its ghostly headlights still appearing in the desert night, only to fade before reaching curious onlookers.

With its long, lonely desert stretches and sparse lighting, Highway 93 remains one of the Southwest's most unnerving drives—part ghost story, part cautionary tale.

Staying Safe on Haunted Highways

Many of these haunted highway legends started with something very real — dangerous roads, low visibility, and tragic accidents. Sharp turns, narrow lanes, and poor lighting have long made certain stretches of highway risky, especially before modern safety standards and reflective signage became the norm. Over time, stories of ghostly lights or phantom vehicles often trace back to moments of reckless driving or missed warnings in the dark.

That’s why clear, visible signage matters.

At Interstate Signways, we know that reflective signs, proper lighting, and reliable way-finding don’t just guide travelers — they make sure your highway adventure doesn’t turn into a ghost story of its own.

This October, drive safe, stay alert, and enjoy the mystery of America’s most haunted highways and remember the Interstate Signways made the signs that guided the way.